Twisting and folding machine



`Fume 10 1924.

M. J. STACK TWISTING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6, 1923 2 Snow-Sheenl Patented June l0, 1924.

UNITED STATES MAURICE J'. STACK,` OF WATERFORD, NEW YORK.

TWISTING AND FOLDING MACHINE.

Application led November 6, 1923. Serial No. 673,219.

To all whom it m. ag/ concern Be it .known that I, MAURICE J. STACK, a`citizen of the United States, residing at Waterford, in the county ofSaratoga and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Twisting and Folding Machines, of which the follow in isa specification.

l y present invention relates to machines for handling fabricated cottonand more particularly that class of such machines wherein is providedmeans for twisting and folding the fabricated cotton into the shape of acotton bat suitable for use as upholstery batting for the automobiletrade or for other uses.

The invention has for its object toprovide a machine ofthe classdescribed in which means is provided for folding the fabricated cottonconveyed thereto into any desired width and to any weight and thicknessrequired, in which the'folding action is soperformed as to effect atwisting action of the folds of the cotton as it is being formed into acontinuous length ofbat, and in which means is also provided whereby astrip of non-elastic material is so fed through the machine as to bewrapped into the innermost vfold of the batting as it is being produced.

The invention further has for its object to provide means whereby `theuon-elastic strip willbe caused to hold its desired position within thefolds of th(` cotton batting as it is being formed and after it has beenformed, and for so regulating the speeds of the \'arious conveying,aprons and batting pressing-rolls as to effect a perfect passing. ofthe. bats being'rolled through the various mechanisms: in other words,compensating for the draft and st-retch of thebatting as it is beingrolled.

`With the above and other objects in vien'. the invention furtherresides in those novel details of construction, combination andarrangementof parts, all of which Will be first described, then beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthemachine.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic cross sections illustratingthe fiat condition of the travelling batting. the first twist-fold thesecond twist-fold. the third twist-fold, and the final fold` thesections all being taken at the successiye positions. looking in thedirection opposite of the bati ting.

Figure 8 is a detail end View of the first twist-fold effectingmechanism, lookin in the direction opposite the travel of the atting.

Figure 9 is a detail section of the sleevedl gear and sprocket whichforms a part of the drive. transmission for the first set of compressionrolls. v

In the practical development of my inven-v tion I provide a machineframing 1 adapted to support `the various mechanisms of my machine andto one side of the upper front lend of which is secured a small frame orbracket 2Y which serves as a supporting medium for the standard 3 whichin turn forms .gnmmed paper from the roll 4 is threaded in such mannerthat when the machine is in operation the paper from the roll L will bedrawn through the machine after being moistened by its passage throughthe box 5, and in Ythe manner and for the purpose which will later bedescribed.

A front slatted conveyor apron 7 is provided and is driven through themedium of the pulleys 8 mounted on the front and rear apron shafts 9 and10 in a manner later to be. described. The front apron shaft 9 hassuitable end bearing in bearings 11 mounted upon the top ofthe framing 1and the rear apron shaft 10 has suitable end bearing in the bearings 12mounted upon the machine framing.

A folder 13 cooperates with the front apron 7 and is provided with apair of laterally projecting carrier arms 14 which are laterallyslidable through the hubs of the 'supporting bearings 15 and each of thehubs of these bearings is provided with a suitable set screw 16 tosecurely hold the carrier arms 14 at their adjust-ed position. By thismeans the folder 13 is supported in cooperative relation with theconveying apron 7 and is adjustable laterally across the conveyingsurface of that apron for a purpose later to be described. The folder isalso provided with a folding horn 17 and this folding horn is secured tothe folder 13 in an adjustable manner through the lnedium of the slotand `wing nut adjustment 18, see Figure 8. From the foregoing, it willbe readily apparent that the folder 13 is laterally adjustable withrespect to the conveying surface of the apron 7 and the folding horn 17is longitudinally adjustably cooperative with said folder.

A pair of presser rolls 19 are positioned just beyond the delivery endof the apron 7 and in a manner whereby their batting engaging portionsare approximately on a hori'zontal plane with the conveying;` surface ofthe apron 7. These presser rolls are provided with upper and lowerdriving shafts 20-21 respectively, which have suitable end bearing inthe bracket 22 with which the bracket 12 is formed as an integral part.

An intermediate slatted apron 23 is also provided and is adapted to beoperated to convey the batting rearwardly through the medium of thepulleys 24 driven by the front andrear cross, shafts 27 and 28respectively, the former having suitable end bearing in the bearings 27secured upon the machine frame and the latter'being similarly mounted inthe end bearings 28.

A second or intermediate folder 29 is also provided and this folder islikewise laterally adjustably mounted through the medium of the lateralarms 30 supporting brackets 31 and set screws 32. A folding horn 33 isalso cooperative with this folder 29 and is adjustably secured theretoas at 34. A

A second set of presser rolls 35 is located just beyond the delivery endof the intermediate apron 23 and in position for cooperating with theconveying surfaces thereof, these rolls being mounted upon the upper andlower driving shafts 36 and 37 respectively which have suitable endbearingF in the bracket 38, of which the bracket 28 forms an integralpart.

A third or rear apron 39 is provided and adapted to be driven by thepulleys 40 over which it takes and which are driven 'by the front andrear cross shafts 41 and 42 respectively in a manner later to bedescribed and which shafts have suitable end bearingr in the front andrear bearings 43 and 44 respectively- The third folder 45 cooperateswith the apron 39 and, like the aprons 29 and 13, is laterallyadjustably supported as at 46-47 and 43` and cooperative with the folder45 is the usual folder horn 49 which is adjustably secured thereto, asat 50.

A third set of presser rolls 51 is provided and located just beyond thedelivery end of the rear apron 39 and are mounted upon, to be driven by,the upper and lower drive shafts 52 and 53 respectively, which havesuitable end bearing in the bracket 54 of which the. bracket 44 is anintegral part.

A fourth or final folder 55 is provided to cooperate with the rear apron39, and, as is clearly illustrated. is positioned'just opposite thefolder 45 and like the rolls of the folders meeaeee is laterallyadjustably supported above the framing 1 and in cooperation with thesaid apron as at 56, 57 and 58 and the usual folder horn 59 isadjustably secured thereto. as is the case with all of the rest of theadjustable horns. lt will be observed that the folder horns 49 and 59which cooperate with the folders 45 and 55 above the roar apron 39 arepositioned in a manner whereby they will not interfere with each otheror either thereof with the folding action of the opposite folder, as .isclearly indicated in Fig.:- ure 2 of the drawings.

lt will be observed from Figure 2. and h v further attention to theenlarged diagrams illustrated in Figures 3 to 7 inclusive that as thecotton battingI is conveyed across the machine bed by the aprons. thefolder 13 effects the first operation thereupon. that is. starts thefirst twist-fold which is completed by the horn 17 in the mannerillustrated at the left of Figure 2` the position of the paper roll 4 sothat the said paper will be positioned centrally of that fold, as isfurther clearly indicated in Figure 4. lt should be remembered that allof these diagrammatic figures are taken as cross sections looking! inthe direction opposite the direction of travel of the conveyed battingand it should be understood that` Figure 3 illustratesthe flat conditionof the batt-ing with the relative position of the paper thereupon andbefore any fold has been made.

As thevbatting leaves the conveyor apron 7 it passes between the presserrolls 19 where the fold and the battingY is compressed to a certaindegree and which, of course, effects a tight adherence of the gummedpaper strip to that portion of the fold which opposes its gummedsurface. The batting then passes on to the conveyor apron 23 and overthe folder 29 where the second fold, or rather a twist. is started ybythe folder 29 and completed by the horn 33, as is clearly indicated atthe central portion of Figure 2 and more clearly indicated in Figure 5.

After this second fold the twist is completed and the batting thenpasses through the presser rolls 35 where the same and the folds areagain compressed and passed on to the third apron 39 where the thirdfold or a twist is started by the folder 45 and completed by the horn49, during,f the completion of which the fourth folder 55 cornes intoplay and starts the final fold which is 1 completed by the horn 59,completing the bat which then passes between the final presser rolls 5lto be compressed thereby and there-from onto the takeoff' conveyor 60 tobe carried away, preferably in a continuous length to be rolled andstored or handlcd in any approved manner. preferably rolled into a rollof determined or continuous length and of a Standard predeterl minedweight.

Maaate 'The conveying surfaces of the aprons 7, 23 and 39 are all on thesame horizontal plane, which horizontal plane passes through orapproximately through the point at which all of the presser rollscontact with the batting being conveyed therethrough.

In practice I find that perfect function of a machine of this typedepends largely upon the grade of material being used upon the machine,some of such material having greater tensile strength and elasticitythan others naturally affecting the speed at which the various apronsand rolls must -be operated to obtain the most perfect result possible.I also find that it is impractical to operate all of the aprons androlls at the same speed because to do so would cause a piling up of thestock at some points and a tendency to tear the stock at others. In thedevelopment of a practical machine, such as is illustrated in thedrawings, consideration must be given to the retarding action of thefolding or twisting mechanisms and the natural quality of the fabricatedcotton itself.

By experience I find that perfect results may be obtained by driving thefront conveyor 7 slightly faster than the first set of rolls 19; thesecond set of rolls a little faster than the first set and the third setof rolls a little faster than the sec-- ond set with the speed of theaprons 23 and 29 increasing in successive and proportionate degrees overthat of the apron 7.

The perfect drive of the various mechanisms is effected as follows: `y63designates the master power transmission pulley mounted upon the mainpower'shaft 64 upon which is also mounted a large diameter gear 65 whichis adapted to mesh with a larger diameter gear 66 mounted upon thecountershaft 67. This countershaft 67 also has mounted thereupon a drivesprocket 68 and a larger diameter sprocket 69. The sprocket 68 drivesthe like sized sprocket 70 sleeve mounted to be rotatable upon the studshaft 71, through a chain transmission 72, while the sprocket 69 drivesthe slightly larger sprocket 73, sleeve mounted to be rotatable upon theshaft 74, through a chain transmission 75, the purpose for which willlater appear.

A small diameter gear 76 is sleeve connected with the sprocket 70 (seeFigure 9) to be rotatable therewith andupon the stud shaft 71, andisadapted to mesh with the large diameter gear 77 mounted upon the Ylowerpresser roll shaft 21, upon the other end of-which issecured a gear 78which meshes.v with the like sized gear 79 on the upper presser. rollshaft 20 and with an idler gear 80: rotatable upon the stud shaft 81 andwhich is adapted to impart "motion about the rollers to-.jth'e apron 7through the medium of the gear connection 82.

A small pinion gear 83 is sleeve-Ciiiiiibd with the sprocket 73 to berotatable thereupon a large sprocket 87 adapted to impart rotary motionto the apron shaft 41 through the medium of the chain transmission 88which takes thereover and over the small sprocket 89 mounted upon saidapron shaft.

The lower presser roll shaft 37 also has a sprocket 90 mounted thereuponand over which takes a transmission chain 91 which also takes over theslightly smaller sprocket 92 mounted upon the lower presser roll shaft53 to impart rotary motion thereto, which said rotary motion is alsoimparted to the upper presser roll shaft 52 by the usual like sized geartransmission means 93.

The apron shaft 41 also has mounted thereupon a sprocket 94 over which,and over the slightly larger sprocket 95 mounted upon the apron shaft 28of the apronI 23, takes the transmission chain 96 to impart motion tothe said apron 23, and still another sprocket 97 is mounted upon thesaid apron shaft 41 over which, and over the like sized sprocket 98mounted upon the other shaft 42 of the apron 39, takes the transmissionchain 99 for effecting proper drive of the said apron 39.

The lower presser roll shaft 53 has mounted thereupon a sprocket 100over which and over the smaller sprocket 101 takes the transmissionchain 102 to effect the proper driving of the takeoff apron 60 upon theshaft 61 of which the sprocket 101 is mounted.

While it is more practical, and theefore more desirous, that the foldedbat be run to as great a length as is possible considering thepossibilities of the machine and the stock and the practicability ofhandling, it may be desired to cut the bat into desired lengths as it isbeing folded. For this purpose I provide a severing mechanism which Ipreferably locate at a pointjust beyond the second set of presser rolls35. This means includestlie knife 104 which is operated through themedium of operating rods 105 guided in the brackets 106 suported uponthe brackets which provide the earings 28, 38 and 43. This mechanism is.properly operated by suitablev driving and timing mechanism which issimilar to that di y losed in my Patent #1,196,993 and th refore adetailed disclosure here is thought to be unnecessary and the saidmechanism will be but generally pointed out by the numeral'. 107. Poweris transmitted to this mechanism from the main power shaft 64 throughthe medium of the pulley 108, belt 109 and pulley 110, the latter form?ing a part of the mechanism and illustrated in the patent referred to. Aloose pulley 111 may also be provided so that the belt 109 may beshifted thereonto s0 that the knife operating mechanism will notoperate.

llt should be understood that the gears 'Z8-79, 85-86, 93-93, are longtoothed ears such as will permit movement away from each other, as maybe effected by variance in thickness ofthe stock passing through therolls for effecting' power transmission by these gears.

By reason of providing the twisting folders 13, 29, 25 and 55 withlaterally adjustable mountings and by also providing a similar laterallyadjustable mounting for the paper roll 4, it will be readily apparentthat the machine may be adjusted to make various sizes of folds and, ofcourse, various sizes of batting, as the trade may require, theadjustment being very simple and effective so that quick change of themachine may be readily eected with practically no waste of time. Forthis purpose, it will be observed that the apron 7 is made much widerthan the other aprons.

lBy reason of positioning the folding mechanisms as they are indicatedin Figure 2, it will be observed that all of the twistfolds with theexception of the final fold are in the same direction. By folding all inone direction and particularly by the utilization of the twistaccomplished by 29-33 and 45--49 the fibres of the fabricated cotton arecompacted in the direction of the twist only in a manner whereby thetensile strength of the said cotton will be increased and not flexedback and forth in a manner which would tend to weaken the same.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, themanner of operation and the advantages of my invention will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains. n

`What l claim is:

1. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of conveyingaprons, a plurality of twist-folding devices cooperative with saidaprons, a series of said twistfolding devices being positioned foreffecting their folds in like direction, means for laying a non-elasticstrip withinI the first fold, presser rolls for pressing the folds asthey are made, and means for driving said aprons and rolls.

2. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of conveyingaprons, a twist-folding device cooperative with each apron, a series ofsaid twist-folding devices being positioned for eecting a lateral foldin the same direction, means for feeding a non-elastic strip into theinnermost fold as Maaate it is being made, presserrolls for pressing thefolds as they are made, and means for driving saidiaprons and rolls.

f3. A machine of the class described, comprising a front conveyingapron, a twistfolder cooperative with the front aprons for eecting alateral fold in one direction, means for laying a non-elastic strip intothe first fold to travel with that fold through the rest of thefunctions of the machine, an intermediate conveying apron, atwist-folder cooperative with said intermediate apron, a rear conveyerapron, a twist-folder cooperative with said rear apron in a manner foreffecting a twisting of the lirst and second folds and a folding of thesame over upon the stock passing through the machine.. presser rolls forpressing the folds, and means for driving the aprons and rolls.

4. A machine of the class described, comprising a front conveying apronafolder cooperative with the front apron for eecting a lateral fold inone direction, means for laying a non-elastic strip into the first foldto travel with that fold through the rest of the functions of themachine, an intermediate conveying apron, a twist-folder cooperativewith the intermediate apron in a manner for effecting a twisting of thefirst fold and a folding thereof over upon the stock passing through themachine, a rear conveying apron, a twist-folder cooperative with saidrear apron in a manner for effecting a twisting of the first and secondfolds and a folding of the same over upon the stock passing through themachine, another twistfolder cooperative with the said reai apron foreecting a folding over of the final lap of the stock upon the foldsalready made, a presser roll associated with each apron for pressing thefolds and means for driving the aprons and rolls at dissimilar speeds. Y5. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of conveyingaprons, a twist-folding device cooperative with each apron, a series ofsaid twist-folding devices being positioned for effecting a lateral foldin the same direction, means for feeding a non-elastic strip into theinnermost fold as it is being made, presser rolls for pressing the foldsas they are made, means for driving said aprons and rolls, said foldingmeans being laterally adjustable across the aprons for effecting thetwisting and folding of bats of varied widths and thicknesses, and saiddriving means being so cooperatively arranged as to effect a dissimilarspeed of aprons and presser rolls to compensate for I draft and stretchof the stock.

6. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of yunitseach consisting of an endless conveyor apron and twist-folding devicesand presser rolls cooperative therewith, means for driving the apron androlls of each successive unit at a greater speed than those of thepreceding unit, and means for driving the rolls of each unit at agreater speed than that at which the apron of that unit is driven.

-7. A machine of the class described comprising a plurality of unitseach consisting of an endless conveyor apron and twist-folding devicesand presser rolls cooperative therewith, means for driving the apron androlls of each successive unit at a greater speed than those of thepreceding unit, means for driving the rolls of each unit at a greaterspeed thanthat at which the apron of that unit is driven, means for somounting a series of the twist-folding devices cooperative With theirrespective aprons that they will effect their twist-folding action allin one direction, and means whereby the said twist-folding devices maybe adjusted laterally with respect to and in cooperation Wit-h theconveying surfaces of said aprons.

8. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of conveyingaprons, a plurality of twist-folding devices cooperative with suchaprons and positioned Jfor effecting a series of folds in likedirection, means for laying a non-elastic strip within the firstl fold,another twist-folding device associated With the nal apron for effectinga fold in an opposite direction to that of the other twist-foldingdevices, presser rolls for pressing the several folds, and means fordriving said aprons and rolls.

' MAURICE J. STACK.

